My Immortal
by aeonsoul
Summary: Daughters of the Moon/ Vampire story. ON HOLD indefinitely. I forgot what happens in the books (it's been years), so can't write
1. AdelChapter 1 Lenne Returns

**Hey you guys! Um, this is my first story here on I'm open for reviews ,feel free to advise me on the title. I think it kinda sucks, but oh well. **

**I only own the plot and most of the characters which are: Adel, Lenne, Bolivar, Ashley, (so far). I'll disclaim other characters as they come along**

**Well, anyway, here we go! Here's the first chapter to "Saving the Immortal". (dang-it!)**

_Transylvania- 1048 A.D._

_Adel burst through the doors of the entrance hall, ran down the stairs, and sprinted across the courtyard, pulling Lenne along with him. He hoped Bolivar had temporarily distracted the guards. He glanced back at the entrance, and to his horror, the guards ran out of the imperial palace. They spotted the couple and ran after them. Adel broke out in cold sweat and felt his grip on Lenne's hand weaken. He grasped her hand tighter and ran towards the doors with savagery. To his amazement, the heavy wooden doors that controlled traffic in and out of the castle grounds were open. Just outside, Adel made a sharp right turn while Lenne kept running straight. She cried out and stumbled, jerking him down. He quickly helped her up, and they resumed their flight._

_They ran along the high wall protecting the castle grounds, his lungs at the brink before bursting. They made a left turn and ran onto the main road. What he saw there made his heart jump. The townspeople of Noria were standing in the middle of the road waiting for them, holding torches and crucifixes. They stopped running and turned to run back to where they had came from, but what seemed to be the entire imperial army spilled onto the road. Adel tried to transform so he can fly and take Lenne to safety, but he was too tired and edgy to accumulate his power. He stepped in front of Lenne, even though he knew he won't be able to protect her. _

_"There is nowhere to run or, in your case, fly!" someone in the army group cried. The soldiers parted through the middle and a man wearing imperial army dress stepped forward. Ditrov looked them over, turned, and walked away. _

_Adel ripped his gaze away from him and turned to face Lenne. He stared sadly upon her angelic face one last time. Lenne had a faraway look as if every part of her body wished she had not trusted him. She looked up and stared into his eyes. For a moment, Adel thought that she hated him, but to his surprised, she smiled and blinked back her fear. He lovingly wrapped his arms around waist and pulled her close. A single tear rolled down her cheek. In a flash, a townsperson ripped Lenne from his arms. She cried out and tried to escape the hands, but the people were already pulling her out of sight. He could hear her screaming at the top of her lungs, begging for mercy to the people she thought had loved her. The only way to save her was to transform. He closed his eyes and concentrated. One of the guards seized him, but he ignored him and focused on his energy. At last, his wings sprouted and he burst up above the mob. He looked down and searched for Lenne. He saw a group of men shoving her into a house, walking in, and closing the door behind them. He flew away from the crowd and dove down into the next road over. Adel transformed back to human and ran back to the house, carefully keeping out of sight from the townspeople and army men who ran in search for him. He found the house and pressed his ear to the door. _

_"How can she be a vampire if she is the princess?" asked one man._

_"Shut up! Adelmar could have easily crossed Valentina over anytime! Didn't you know that he was one of her private teachers?" answered another. _

_Then, Lenne's voice joined the others._

_"Please! I beg you! I am not a vampire! I swear upon my father, who devotes his life to killing vampires! Please!" Lenne cried in despair._

_Adel stepped back and kicked the door open. The men and Lenne glanced up in surprise. Three men had Lenne pinned down to the floor, and a man was standing above her holding a small crucifix._

_"Wait!" Adel yelled. "It is me that you want! Lenne is innocent."_

_"Lies!" the man yelled, and drove the crucifix deep in her heart._

_Adel howled in rage and knocked the men out using a rod leaning against the fireplace. He scooped Lenne into his arms, transformed, and flew into the night._

_Adel took Lenne away to a deserted field at the outskirts of the city. He flew down and settled her on the ground. Her gown was absorbing the blood of her wound making a large stain. He kneeled next to her and cradled her head. Tears rushed out from deep within him and clouded his sight. Lenne placed her hand on his and whispered a quiet "I love you". She closed her eyes and died._

Chapter 1

"Lenne!" Adel cried. He sat up on his bed, panting. Cold sweat seeped through his t-shirt. He tried to catch his breath but felt a wave of nausea rush through him. He ran to the bathroom and emptied his stomach into the toilet. He flushed it and straightened up. Adel glanced at the mirror and saw his reflection. Dark circles had formed around his eyes because of the lack of sleep, making him look more haunted than ever.

Adel wanted to go back to bed, but he knew he won't be able to, and he would stay up thinking about Lenne. So, he stripped and stepped into the shower. He turned the spigot and let the hot water do its best to warm up his cold and unhappy soul. When the hot water ran out, he turned off the water and stepped out. After drying himself, Adel stepped into a pair of boxers, jeans, socks, and his favorite black shoes. He grabbed a black t-shirt and pulled it over his blonde head. He rolled on some deodorant and sprayed on spicy cologne. He also rubbed on a bit of nonscented tough sunblock and slipped on his shades.

On his way out of his apartment, he grabbed his backpack and car keys. Right away, he was happy that he decided to get ready for school early so he could find his class before the bell rings. He is new to Arroyo High, and he did not want teachers on his case for being tardy. One parent-teacher conference and he would have to switch schools again, in fear that they would uncover his secret.

Sometimes Adel wondered why he still bothered to attend school. He knew he would be having a blast just partying and having fun like the rest of his kind must be doing, but he knew that those that didn't blend in with the world were easier targets for Hunters, or people from Nefandus that captured vampires and bound them to servitude. Who the vampires were forced to serve, Adel didn't know, and he did not want to find out.

Outside in the parking lot, Adel slipped into his black car. He liked this car. It was slick and low to the ground. He turned on the engine and sped down Santa Anita Avenue. He pulled into the Arroyo student parking lot and parked the car.

While he was walking along the sidewalk next to the track, Adel couldn't shake off the feeling that someone was staring at him. He glanced behind him and caught a girl staring at him. He faced forward again and smiled to himself. Back in Noria, girls fell in love with him because of his looks. During a royal ball, girls left and right stared at him and hoped that he would ask them to dance. However, Lenne was the only one for him.

Thinking of Lenne jerked him back to the present. He was already near the library when he remembered that his zero period class was Algebra 2. He turned back and headed towards the math department.

Just by asking other students, he learned that this school was way stricter that the school he attended at Los Angeles when it came to attendance. So, he decided not to skip his last class and stuck around for the rest of the day.

In fifth period, he was seated next to the girl that was watching him earlier.

"I'm Ashley," she told him. A blush rose to her cheeks, giving away her emotions.

"I'm Adel," he replied simply, taking out a pen from his backpack.

"I know," Ashley said. She blushed again, realizing her mistake. "I mean, I found out," she added. "My friend told me. She is in your first period."

"I see." Adel tried not to be too nice. He didn't want to lead her on. Not talking to a girl was an effective way to turn them off. When he thought that he had gotten over Lenne's death, he got close to another girl named Jenny. One night, they were watching a drive-in movie. He pulled her close to him and kissed her. Jenny's warm and soft lips awakened his hunger and desire that he had locked away. He bit her neck and drank her warm blood. She died shortly afterward. Overcome with grief and self-hate, he swore that he would never have a relationship with another girl, in fear that he will murder again.

Ashley fell silent and started to read the chapter assigned for class work. When the bell rang, Adel shoved his stuff in his backpack and hurried out of class, momentarily squinting up at the bright afternoon sun in disgust. In the hallway, someone grabbed his hand and turned him around. Ashley stared up at him shyly.

"Hey. Do you want to come to my birthday party? It's tonight, Friday, so there is no way your parents can't say 'no' because you have school."

"Uh…" Adel wasn't expecting this. He thought that the brush-off had turned her away, but maybe that only encouraged her to continue. He was about to say "no", but she slipped her fingers in his front jeans pockets and pulled him close. It was so obvious that Ashley was crushing on him. He breathed in her sweet perfume and glanced down at her body. She was wearing tight jeans, and her dark, curly hair was pulled back in a ponytail. Her black halter showed off her tanned shoulders and back. A mischievous smile rose to his lips. Ashley took it as a "yes", so she pulled out an invitation from her bag.

"Here. It starts at eight and will end at about 2 am, maybe 3. See you there." Ashley handed him the card and walked way, her pace slow and easy.

Before driving home, Adel went to the Santa Anita Mall to buy a present for Ashley. Even though he didn't know her, it it felt weird going to a birthday party without a gift. When he got there, he had no idea what to get her. So, he bought a pair of silver dangling earrings that would match perfectly with the pink halter that she wore that day. He also bought a fluffy pink halter. He drove to his apartment and got ready to go to her house.

Using the address inside the card, Adel found a spot close to Ashley's house and parked his car. Adel walked confidently up the walk to Ashley's home. Some of the kids were outside on the porch, but he knew that most of them were partying inside. He opened the front door, and the loud music greeted him and vibrated though his chest. The living room furniture had been pushed to the side, and kids were dancing close, moving as one with the beat. He set his present on the table off to the side and scanned the kids looking for Ashley. He spotted her talking with another guy. They were having a heated conversation. Adel wondered what they were arguing about. She looked incredible wearing a black mini, black high heels, and a silky silver halter. Her smoky eye shadow and black eyeliner made her eyes stand out. As if she sensed a pair of eyes on her, Ashley turned around and caught his gaze. She left that other guy and walked across the room over to him.

"Happy Birthday," Adel whispered when she reached him. His hands slipped around her waist and pulled her against his body. He wondered were his actions come from but Ashley interrupted his thoughts.

"Glad you made it," Ashley said. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers playing with his hair. "This place was getting boring. I knew you partied hard from the moment I saw you."

"Oh, really?" Adel replied, raising his eyebrows. Ashley started to saw her hips with the beat. Her movements awakened a desire that Adel tried hard to keep in check. But something was wrong; Ashley kept glancing behind Adel, as if she tried to get someone's attention. Adel quickly glanced behind him and caught the same guy staring at them with a scowl on his face.

"Stop," Adel said. He pulled away from her and continued. "Are you just coming on to me to make him jealous?"

Ashley shook her head frantically, but he could tell she was lying. Maybe she liked him a little, just maybe, but he was not going to be used.

"Good bye, Ashley," Adel said and walked away. He tried to play it cool, but he couldn't help feeling betrayed. However, he wouldn't have felt this way if he didn't like Ashley. Adel was angry with himself. He knew he couldn't risk falling in love again, but already he was breaking his promise.

Adel opened the front door. Still angry, he didn't notice someone standing just outside. He collided into a girl, knocking her off her feet. He reached out and caught her before she fell.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to—"Adel started. He stopped and gasped as the girl straightened up. He couldn't believe his eyes. It was Lenne.


	2. LenneChapter 1 Deep Connections

Prologue

"Lenne…?" he asked. Lenne stared into space, not believing her ears.

"No… That can't be true…It just can't…!" Lenne said. He raised his hand to raise her chin, but she pulled away and shook her head. She didn't want it to be true, but everything made sense: his mysterious demeanor, his guarded emotions, his knowledge of the past, everything.

"I hope this doesn't change anything…because…I don't know what I'd do if you distanced yourself from me," he told her, trying to get her to look at him.

"I love you," he said softly, looking at her face to see her reaction. Lenne blinked and looked up.

"I love you, too-- It's just scary to think that you could keep something like this from me," she answered slowly.

"Trust me. That was it. No more surprises," he promised, giving her a reassuring smile. Lenne smiled back, placing her hand on his cheek. He slowly closed his eyes, enjoying her touch. He opened his eyes and looked at her. He placed his hands behind her shoulders to pull her close and kissed her softly. A whirl of emotions flushed through her, but she was only concerned on his warm and soft lips. He pressed harder and wrapped his arms around her, making her stomach flutter wildly. He leaned against her, the marble railings of her balcony firm against her waist.

"VALENTINA!" someone yelled across her bedroom, startling them. Lenne's father stood at her bedroom door with an expression of shock and anger on his face.

"Father!" Lenne cried desperately. She rushed to him. "I can explain—"

"Enough!" the king screamed, smacking her across her face, knocking her down. Lenne looked up at him holding her cheek.

"You wretched girl! You have become a vampire, also?!" her father hissed down at her.

"She has not!" he yelled, helping Lenne stand.

"Don't lie to me!" her father yelled. "Guards!" he called out. "Take them away!" Adel took her hand and they rushed out of her bedroom. Guards standing in their posts on one side of the hallway rushed towards them. The couple took off in the opposite direction and nearly collided with Bolivar, the king's confidant, when they turned the corner.

"Try and divert them!" Adel called out over his shoulder.

"What?!" Lenne asked him as they sped down a flight of stairs.

"He's also a vampire who is undercover here," he whispered. "He was stationed at the castle by my father to help me if I ever needed help."

"I just don't understand. Where would my father get the idea that I have crossed over?" she asked him between her panting.

"I don't know…" Adel answered her. They glanced back, and to their horror, the guards appeared at the top of the stairs behind them. The couple sprinted across the empty hall towards the entrance to the castle, hoping to escape with their lives.

LenneChapter 1- Deep Connections

Lenne's alarm clock woke her up with a start. She reached to her bedside table and turned off the alarm. She yawned and stretched, customarily trying to remember what she had been dreaming about. After a couple of minutes of staring at the ceiling, she gave up and got out of bed.

As she walked to her walk-in closet, she tripped over one of her spiked sandals and nearly fell. Remembering the "girls' night out" yesterday brought a smile to her face. She had suggested to her friends if they wanted to go the mall to get new outfits for Ashley's upcoming birthday party. Afterwards, they hit a party in the other side of El Monte. Coming back late, she thought she was going to get grounded since it was a school night. Luckily, her stepmother had fallen asleep watching one of her old _Pedro Infante _movies.

Choosing a baby blue tube top, tight jeans, and beaded sandals, she changed quickly, brushed her teeth, applied simple makeup, and ran a comb through her silky, dark curls. She tossed a sports bra, t-shirt, shorts, bloomers, kneepads, and court shoes into her sports bag and dashed out of her room, zipping her bag as she walked into the kitchen.

"Mornin' honey," said her stepmother. "Want some panc—"

"Morning, mom. No thanks. I need to get to school early today." Lenne grabbed an apple, her backpack, and a birthday cake on her way out of the house. "Bye! See you tomorrow!" she called to her mother before she closed the front door.

Lenne hurried to Arroyo High, hoping to give Ashley her birthday cake before first period. She was lucky that she only lived a block from the school. When she arrived, she waited outside Ashley's first period world history class.

When Ashley arrived, she was already carrying balloons and cakes, undoubtedly from Shayna and the rest of the clique.

"Happy Birthd—" Lenne started to say.

"Thanks! Hey Lenne! Tell me that he is _the_ hottest guy!" Ashley said excitedly. Lenne followed her stare. She caught a glimpse of a guy with blond hair before he disappeared into a classroom.

"I didn't see him clearly, but he _is _in my first period class." Lenne answered.

"Great! Find out who he is for me! I want him to come to my birthday party tonight." Ashley said dreamily.

"Wait a minute. Aren't you still with Nathan?" Lenne asked, perplexed.

"Nope," Ashley answered. "I'm through with him. I saw him with some other chick at the movies last night. And don't feel sorry for me. I knew he was a jerk before I got with him."

"Um, okay," Lenne said. Even though Ashley said she was okay about the break-up, she knew she was upset. The minute bell didn't let her console Ashley.

"Gotta go. See you in a bit," Lenne called out as she walked to her class.

"Bye. And don't forget about the 'homework' I gave you!" Ashley winked at Lenne and waved goodbye.

Lenne walked in the classroom across the hall and slid into her seat at the back, ignoring the stares from the boys. She was used to boys looking at her up and down, but she didn't let them affect her concentration in class. She focused her attention to the new guy. Mr. Gonzales pointed to an empty seat in the right side of the classroom. Ashley was right. He _was _hot! But when he turned, she saw his face. Goosebumps appeared on her skin and a chill ran up her spine, not only because he was incredibly sexy, but he seemed familiar. _His face…_she thought. _Where have I seen him before…?_ _In my dreams? In some far-away memory? _

Lenne blinked and her mind returned to earth. She focused again.

"You new?" asked a guy named Chase.

"Yeah. I'm Adel," the guy answered.

_Adel… _Lenne thought. His name sparked something inside Lenne, but she couldn't figure out why it meant something to her.

"Where you from?" Chase asked.

"L.A. Turney High." Adel answered.

"Quiet down, boys. Your reading assignment is on the board," Mr. Gonzales called out behind his desk. Adel and Chase pulled out their books from under their chairs and pretended to read while Adel and the boys around him talked in whispers about life in Los Angeles. El Monte was fun, but this city was no match for L.A. and its clubs.

After class, Lenne met up with Ashley, and she told her about Adel.

"Oh man! He's _so_ invited!" Ashley told Lenne, as they walked to second period.

"Just one thing: How are you going to invite him if you haven't even met him?" Lenne asked her.

"I'll find a way," Ashley answered. "I'll corner him during lunch or somethin' "

"And you are just going to walk up to him and invite him to your party," Lenne asked her skeptically.

"Have we met? Not to be cocky, but guys do ask me out left and right." Ashley responded with a sly smile.

"Point taken. Good luck!" Lenne waved goodbye to her friend as she walked to her next class.

Lenne walked into her bedroom and collapsed onto her bed, exhausted from today's volleyball tryouts. Last year's varsity girls were a little off and were passing the ball all over the place, and she had to work extra hard to set the ball.

Lenne spotted Ashley's present on her desk and smiled to herself, anticipating the moment when she finally meets Adel at the party tonight. Ashley had told Lenne after school that she had Adel for fifth period and cornered him after class. She wanted to meet Adel even though Ashley liked him. Lenne thought that Ashley and Nathan are meant to be together. She agreed that Nathan was a jerk, but she thinks that Nathan is truly in love with Ashley, and the movies thing was somehow just a misunderstanding, or she hoped.

Lenne went into her bathroom, stripped, and walked under the spray of the water. After showering, she reached into some shopping mall bags to pull out a new glittery white strapless top, a black skirt with slits up the sides, and strappy stilettos. After slipping into the outfit and painting her fingernails and toenails, she applied black eyeliner, mascara, and smoky eye shadow to her eyes. She changed her bellybutton ring to a dangling one. She rolled lip gloss on her lips and rubbed shimmering lotion over her legs, arms, stomach, and back. Finally, she sprayed perfume into the air and walked into the mist.

Holding Ashley's birthday present under one arm, Lenne locked the front door to her house and started to walk the two blocks to Ashley's house. Halfway there, she noticed cars taking up every available spot on the curb. Ashley always lived up to her promise of throwing the best parties around. Even kids from rival schools like Rosemead, El Monte, and South come to have a good time. When she arrived, Shayna, Beatrice, and Victoria were already there, hanging out on the porch with a group of guys. Cheynna was standing against the wall and Chase was leaning against her as if he was sharing secrets with her. Beatrice, or "Bee" as everyone called her, and "Vicky" were flirting with some guys from Rosemead.

"Hey," Lenne greeted her friends as she turned the doorknob.

"Where you goin'?" Bee asked her. "I want you to meet these guys."

"I'll be right out. I'm just gonna set the present on the table." Lenne responded. "And besides, I don't want to miss the moment when our football players come and kick their butts. No offense, boys," Lenne told the guys, "but your Rosemead letterman jackets stand out like targets." Lenne smiled at the guys and they returned her smile.

"She's funny. I like her," one of them told Bee. "Hey, babe," he called out to Lenne, "come out later!"

"Sure thing!" Lenne answered and walked in the house. She wasn't going to go back outside; she was going to try and meet Adel. The Rosemead guys will have fun hanging out and dancing with Vicky and Bee. She just hoped that some other girl hadn't caught Adel's attention first.

After she set her present down, Lenne spotted Ashley and Adel dancing together. Lenne sighed sadly and turned away, feeling beaten. No way was Adel going to let go of Ashley; she's too pretty and spunky. Her sadness quickly turned to anger. Ashley was aggressive, always getting first pick with the guys, ending up with the guys that Lenne liked most. Or, maybe Lenne had to be bolder and more outgoing if she wanted to get Adel's attention… Lenne decided to let him go. Ashley was her best friend, and she didn't want a guy to get between them. On her way outside, she poured some strawberry soda into a cup. Outside, she walked to the far side of the porch and joined her friends. Still confused and hurt, she didn't notice that one of the Rosemead guys had walked behind her and slipped his arms around her waist. She pulled away abruptly.

"What are you doing?" she asked him sharply.

"Jeez. Why so uptight?" he answered, placing his hands on her exposed hips.

"Sorry. It's not you. I'm just a little angry right now," she answered pulling away gently. He shrugged and walked away and joined her friends. Lenne sighed and headed towards the front door, determined to go inside and dance in hopes of having a good time in spite of Adel and Ashley dancing together. At the door she turned and looked at her friends. _Why does a guy that I don't even know affect me so much that I can't let go and have a fun night partying? _

All of a sudden, the front door open and a guy ran into Lenne, knocking her over. The guy caught her around the waist before she fell. However, the strawberry soda spilled onto her white top, ruining it.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to—" he started. Lenne straightened up and saw that it was Adel. He was adorable, but the thought of him and Ashley making out sometime during the party made her irritable again. Why does he have such a spell on her?


	3. AdelChapter 2 Cousin

AdelChapter 2- Cousin

"Could you watch where you're going?" Lenne asked, annoyed. "_Damn_!" When Adel had knocked into her, her strawberry soda had spilled all over her top.

"_Va-Valentina!_" Adel said, shocked.

"What 'chu call me?" Lenne asked.

"I-I mean, sorry," Adel stammered. "I didn't mean to, but wait!" Adel rushed into the house again. He grabbed the present which concealed the halter. He ran back outside to the porch. He ripped the box open and handed Lenne the halter.

"Here. You can wear this so you won't have to go home to change." Adel suggested.

"No way!" Lenne replied. "I can't let you steal—"

"You don't understand. You see, I was going to give this to Ashley. But since she was such a bitch, you—"

"That 'bitch' is my best friend!" she said fiercely.

"Uh… Again, sorry." Adel felt like a fool. "But…I'm just trying to make things right, between you and me… "Adel looked at her apologetically, hoping that he can stall time to figure out how on earth she is reincarnated.

Lenne looked at him, mistaking his anxiety and bewilderment for earnestness.

"Okay. Ashley does owe me anyway." Lenne replied. Then she looked up at Adel and smiled, reminding him of the nights they had together before her father, the king of a Transylvanian kingdom, had found out that Adel was a vampire. Adel and his family were vampires who had sworn to kill the king and his family to end their rule. Adel's father had ordered Adel apply for an inside job at the palace. Adel had impressed the king with his knowledge on history, so he appointed him to be his daughter's history teacher. Everything was going according to plan, but Adel fell in love with Lenne. Somehow, the king found out about Adel's heritage. He walked in on Lenne and Adel kissing on her balcony and accused her of turning into a vampire so she can spend an eternity with Adel. Then, Adel and Lenne ran for their lives. Lenne was mistaken for a vampire and killed, or so he thought until now.

Lenne walked inside the house, teasing him with her slow Catwalk. Ignoring the fact that something was wrong, Adel followed her inside and waited until she came out of the bathroom.

In a few minutes, she walked out. Adel was happy he chose that particular halter at the mall. She looked stunning wearing the fluffy pink halter, a black skirt with slits up the sides, and strappy stilettos. Lenne caught him looking at her and smiled shyly. Adel walked slowly over to her and wrapped his arms around her. She locked her hands behind his neck and started to dance to the slow beat. His fingers stroked her bare back, awakening his old love.

"Do you remember me?" Adel whispered in her ear.

"It's weird. I am sure that I've never met you before, but I feel like I know you," she answered. She pulled away from him and looked up at his face. "Why's that?"

"Because, you do—"Adel started to say, but stopped. A familiar face in the crowd of kids caught his eye.

"I have to go…" Adel said, walking across the room.

"Wait!" Lenne called out.

Adel turned around and walked back to her. He placed his hands on either side of her delicate face and kissed her gently. Apparently he took her by surprised because she jumped ever so slightly. He pulled away slowly, watching her reaction. She opened her eyes slightly, probably wondering why his kiss seemed so familiar.

"I promise I'll come back to you, tonight," he said. Adel made a mental note to ask one of the guys from school for Lenne's home address.

He was almost at the door when someone grabbed his arm. Ashley stepped up to him boldly.

"Hey. I'm sorry about earlier… I—"Ashley began, fidgeting nervously with her silver bracelets.

"Don't worry about it," Adel interrupted, trying to shake her off. "It's cool."

"No. I don't want you to walk away with that impression of me. Come on. Let's party," she insisted, pulling him gently to the dance floor.

"I'm telling you. It's okay," Adel replied exasperated, frowning at her.

"Fine!" Ashley let go of him, defeated. She gave him one last look of rage and stalked away into the crowd.

Adel, glad that he got away, rushed out of the house, into the moonless night.

"Hey, Adel! Leaving so soon?" Chase asked him as he let go of his girlfriend.

"Yeah, I have to go. Hey, where does Lenne live?" Adel asked as he scanned the front yard, trying to locate his cousin through the kids who were arriving at the party.

"Two blocks south from here. A big house with a blossom tree in the front, can't miss it."

"Thanks!" Adel told him as he walked to the sidewalk. He weaved through a group of guys playing touch football on the smooth lawn. When he got to the sidewalk, he glanced toward his car. Bolivar was leaning against it.

"Where the hell have you been this whole time?!" Adel asked him fiercely as he turned the key.

"I told you. Save your questions until we get to a more private place," Bolivar whispered, closing the passenger door after he slid into the seat.

"Why does it have to wait? Huh?! We're in the car!" Adel growled angrily, slamming his foot on the accelerator when he pulled off the curb.

"Damn! Slow down!" Bolivar yelled. "You don't wanna get pulled over by a cop. There was some heading this way. Ashley is going to get busted for having spiked punch in an underage party."

"How do you know Ashley?" Adel asked him heatedly.

"Focus on the road, cuz. You don't want to get us killed, do you?" Bolivar asked sarcastically, smiling at his own joke. Seeing that Adel didn't laugh, he punched him playfully on the shoulder. "Hey, what happened to you?"

"Sorry. I'm just on edge. Guess who I literally ran into?...Lenne!" Adel said, perplexed. "Do you know anything?" Adel demanded. Bolivar only shook his head and then stared straight ahead. After driving for a couple of minutes in awkward silence, Adel parked his car in front of an abandoned convenience store and they got out.

"So, why did you wait almost a thousand years to show up?" Adel asked him quietly, leaning against the car with his arms crossed.

Bolivar turned to face him. "Why are you mad at me?"

"Ah…" Adel said while pretending to think hard, "Well, you could've prevented Lenne's death if you had helped me out like you were supposed to—"

"And you never wondered why I didn't…" Bolivar told him quietly.

Adel's anger gradually turned to alarm as adrenaline rushed through his body. Bolivar's creepy smile sent a shiver up Adel's spine.

In a flash, Bolivar rushed to Adel and grabbed his arm. His arm burned and stung as if Bolivar's hand was made of ice. His knees buckled and he stumbled at Bolivar's feet. Shocked and in pain, he looked up at Bolivar. His sunken green eyes pierced through his mind, but they only made Adel want to stare. Adel saw the dept and emptiness in his eyes as if Bolivar didn't have a soul. Adel fell into his eyes, the air around him becoming stiff and suffocating. His vision blurred then dimmed until he saw only darkness. Adel's body turned numb and his lips trembled with cold. He slipped into unconsciousness.

When Adel came around, he kept his eyes shut, using his other senses to figure out where he was. He was lying on the floor, his cheek pressing against cold stone. He didn't hear anyone breathing or any other noise in particular, so he opened his eyes. He got up slowly, nearly stumbling disoriented. His heart thumped painfully in his chest when he recognized his old home in Transylvania.


End file.
